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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26425174">The Last Dance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonSaya/pseuds/DemonSaya'>DemonSaya</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Labyrinth (1986)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Character Death, Death, F/M, Grief, Loss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:07:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,355</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26425174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonSaya/pseuds/DemonSaya</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Time stops for no one. This is the funeral of Sarah Williams.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Last Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hope everyone has their feels trip slips signed and ready to hand in for this one.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t a funeral. Jareth noted that as he stepped into the house, looking around at the flowers that decorated every available flat surface. People were dressed in somber clothing, but no one was sobbing or in hysterics. The casket was visible from the entrance, one side open for people to view the deceased person who lay there.</p><p>The floral arrangements were all white, and the monochrome of the environment almost gave him a headache. His eyes swept over the room, at the occupants, first. Lots of people in their prime, with children of their own. A few elderly people who seemed to be running things. All of them wearing serious expressions, talking quietly amongst themselves.</p><p>He took a turn around the room, now, listening to the quiet words of those who were in attendance. A mother to all, they called her, speaking at length of those who she had fostered in her care. Countless children who grew up in this house, under the care of the person who had died. It came as little surprise when he realized that several of the adults were changeling children in the Above. What did surprise him was that these children had never returned to the Underground.</p><p>A friend, others named her, someone who was loyal to a fault. One mentioned how she’d saved them after a nasty overdose. Another spoke of how she would forgive anyone of anything as long as their apology was given with sincerity. Two stood near the casket, looking in at the woman who lay there, faces sad but accepting. Both were on the shorter side, one of them a full on dwarf. The dwarf held a cat that was massive in comparison, all fluffy orange fur.<br/>Jareth stepped over towards the casket, where they stood, looking down at the woman who lay within.</p><p>Age had been kind, he noted. Her hair was silver, leaning white, braided over her shoulder and long as it had been when she’d been a girl. Her eyes were closed as if she were asleep, but even without the most obvious of characteristics to identify her, she was unmistakable. The slope of her nose, the curve of her jaw, those things would have never changed as she’d aged.</p><p>The two who stood at the casket looked up at him, and there was a flash of recognition and fear in their gaze. He didn’t return their gaze, simply looking down at the old woman in the box.</p><p>“I had wondered where you three had gone off to,” he said, his voice quiet. “I suppose it should not be a surprise to find you here.”</p><p>They shuffled their feet in discomfort. “She needed help, these last few years,” the dwarf admitted. “I suppose you’re here to punish us for neglecting our duties.”</p><p>Easy enough, he supposed, to agree with that assessment of his presence here. It would cover up the heavy sensation in his chest. “Your duties will wait until matters here are finished being settled,” he said after a moment, still not looking at them. “Go away, Hogsnot. Take your brothers with you.”</p><p>The dwarf sputtered in anger, muttering under his voice. “It’s Hoggle.”</p><p>Still, the creature did as he said, and he was left along looking down into the box. He stood in silence, looking down into the face of a woman he’d once known, stepping nearer to the casket. His brow furrowed in frustration and temper as he looked down at her, his lips growing tight.</p><p>“I’m sorry, who are you?”</p><p>Jareth gave a half-turn, looking at the man who had just addressed him. He was about six inches taller than Jareth, his eyes calm and steady, wrinkles cutting around them. His hair was still holding on to the faintest hint of blond in a few places, giving his hair a more platinum look rather than white. Jareth just gave a smile, then turned back to the casket.</p><p>“I knew her a long time ago.”</p><p>“I remember you,” the man said, standing beside him, his face calm and voice quiet. “I don’t recall sending you an invitation to this.”</p><p>“You didn’t,” Jareth admitted, but he lifted an invitation that he’d gotten, regardless. “She did.”</p><p>“I see. I suppose that changes some things.” The man went quiet for a long moment, looking down at the woman as well. After a moment, a hand rested on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze, and Jareth looked towards the old man with a narrow gaze. “I’ll give you some time alone with her. It’s what she would have wanted.”</p><p>“Thank you, Toby,” Jareth said, his voice quiet. He saw the boy stop and turn towards him, a grin on his face. “I appreciate the kindness.”</p><p>“Don’t thank me, Goblin King, thank her. She was very precise with what she wanted today.”</p><p>As Jareth stood there, Toby made a turn of the room, and gestured for everyone to leave the room, adjourning to the kitchen to undoubtedly get into the food and alcohol that Jareth had no doubt waited there. He did nothing until the last of them left the room.</p><p>“A mortal life, that was the choice you made, precious. I could have saved you from this if you’d asked it of me,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “I wonder what choice you’ll make, now.”</p><p>He turned and saw her spirit standing nearby, where she’d not been visible with the crowd of people who had been there to celebrate her life. She looked younger, but not as young as when he’d last gotten to see her. Her brilliant green eyes were shining as she looked at him. She was dressed in a familiar cream colored gown he remembered from the first time he’d seen her.</p><p>She gave him a patient sort of smile, stepping towards him. His throat worked hard, choked with emotions as he offered a hand to her. The hand he offered held no crystals, no false dreams that would trap her. A sigh escaped him as her hand came to rest on his. He could barely feel it, and his grief, which he’d been burying with such care choked him.</p><p>“You called on them, but you never once called on me,” he said, his voice soft with accusation. The spectre in front of him said nothing, just came to stand at his side, her head coming to rest on his shoulders. He felt a strange sensation in his eyes, his throat feeling like it was closing, his eyes starting to itch. “Why did you invite me here, now, precious?”</p><p>He felt her straighten at his side, and he turned to face her, letting her see his face, to get a measure of the temper and grief in his eyes. She smiled at him, and her other hand took his as well as she backed away from the box her body rested in. She stood, facing him, resting one hand on his chest, her other across his palm, as if they were dancing. He closed his eyes tight, and a line of moisture ran down his face.</p><p>Still, he wrapped an arm around her waist, turning her in the silence of her living room. “If it was a last dance you wanted, you could have called sooner,” he chided her, his voice rough with emotions. It wasn’t fair. This wasn’t fair.</p><p>Her cheek came to rest against his shoulder, and he felt what little magic that held her there getting weaker. She wouldn’t last much longer. They both knew that. So when she stilled, he forced his eyes open to look at her. She smiled up at him, and her hands lifted to his face, cupping it between her palms. Then, she pressed onto her toes, giving him a soft kiss before what magic kept her here was gone and he was standing alone in the room.</p><p>Jareth closed his eyes, feeling more moisture on his cheeks, and he lifted a hand, dashing the blasted tears from his face. He stood there for only another moment before he, too, disappeared, leaving only a trace of glitter behind.</p>
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